The Impact of Omitted Responses on the Accuracy of Ability Estimation in Item Response Theory

Practitioners typically face situations in which examinees have not responded to all test items. This study investigated the effect on an examinee's ability estimate when an examinee is presented an item, has ample time to answer, but decides not to respond to the item. Three approaches to ability estimation (biweight estimation, expected a posteriori, and maximum likelihood estimation) were examined. A Monte Carlo study was performed and the effect of different levels of omissions on the simulee's ability estimates was determined. Results showed that the worst estimation occurred when omits were treated as incorrect. In contrast, substitution of 0.5 for omitted responses resulted in ability estimates that were almost as accurate as those using complete data. Implications for practitioners are discussed.     

A new look at comprehension instruction for disabled readers

The traditional specific skills approach to comprehension instruction is no longer considered useful since research has demonstrated that comprehension is a holistic process. However, one must break down the process in some way in order to teach it. Three models of comprehension instruction that attempt to break down the process are described. Strengths and weaknesses of each of the three models: text-based instruction, explicit comprehension instruction, and a combined model, are discussed. Techniques which are exemplars of each of the models are described in relation to their use with reading-disabled children. The combined model of comprehension instruction is recommended because it joins the goal of understanding the text with helping children learn how to learn.     

Quantifying participation in,and the effectiveness of,remediating assessment in a university mathematics module

In Maths for Business, a large first-year mathematics module, the continuous assessment component comprises 10 weekly quizzes which combine to contribute 40% of the final module mark. If students did not receive the full five marks on their weekly quiz, they were provided with the opportunity to resubmit their corrected weekly quiz with an explanation of their error(s) for one additional mark. We refer to this process as ‘remediation’. Of the students who had the opportunity to remediate, ～70% did. Through examining learning management system data, we show that the remediation process encouraged students to access module resources. Furthermore, by using a Bayesian hierarchical model to account for students’ level of participation, achievement and prior knowledge, we show that participation in the remediation process positively impacted the final examination marks of moderate to high-achieving students (based on initial continuous assessment marks). However, participation in the remediation process provided limited benefit to low-achieving students. We conjecture this is because these students had not achieved a level of understanding whereby participation in the remediation process could progress their knowledge.     

Kindergarten Teachers’ Conceptions of Environmental Education

A written questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding Greek kindergarten teachers’ personal views on the concept of Environmental Education (EE). The questionnaire was also designed to obtain the teachers’ views relative to a series of theoretical and methodological issues concerning the application of EE. It was ascertained that the prevalent conception of the kindergarten teachers includes the following: (a) it is directed towards a knowledge-centered type of EE, (b) it is primarily centered on nature and its protection in terms of EE content, (c) it aims not only to shape citizens willing to adopt environmental measures recommended by the experts, but who will also actively participate in social actions for the protection of the environment, (d) it favors learning procedures in the environment with field study activities, (e) it must be compulsory in the kindergarten level.     

Componential IRT Models for Polytomous Items

Componential IRT models for polytomous items are of particular interest in two contexts: Componential research and test development. We assume that there are basic components, such as processes and knowledge structures, involved in solving cognitive tasks. In Componential research, the subtask paradigm may be used to isolate such components in subtasks. In test development, items may be composed such that their response alternatives correspond with specific combinations of such components. In both cases the data may be modeled as polytomous items. With Bock's (1972) nominal model as a general framework, transformation matrices can be used to constrain the parameters of the response categories so as to reflect the Componential design of the response categories. In this way, both main effects and interaction effects of components can be studied. An application to a spelling task demonstrates this approach     

家族企业代际传承中面临的困境及其对策

家族企业在我国当前国民经济中发挥了重要的作用，是我国市场经济发展中不可忽视的群体。然而，中国家族企业在经历一段创业辉煌后，眼下已走到裂变的十字路口，面临成长的挑战，其中家族企业的传承问题就是在成长过程中面临的一次重大考验。本文欲从分析家族企业传承中存在的问题以及在法律上面临的问题，探寻一些切实可行的解决办法。     

撒拉族、土族的经济意识对比分析

撒拉族和土族在有些方面较为相似，但其经济意识却颇为不同，造成这种不同的原因是多方面的。文章从居住环境、地貌物产、信仰等方面对撒拉族、土族做了比较，认为这些因素决定了二者经济意识的不同。     

论产品缺陷

产品存在缺陷是生产者承担侵权赔偿责任的首要条件,因此讨论产品侵权行为的核心就在于对"缺陷"内容的理解.本文即对产品缺陷的内涵及其分类认定标准进行了较为详细的阐述.     

Self-Cognition and Parental Brain

SYNOPSIS

A key feature of parenting is that it is observable starting from behaviors that are performed daily by adult caregivers during repeated interactions with the child. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research on parental brain should integrate settings that resemble ecologies of situations in which parents typically care for children. However, as our commentators point out, ecological settings in fMRI research are challenging and require a multiperspective approach that systematically considers psychological and behavioral complexities of “mommy brain” to better understand how contingent mental states of mothers articulate with specific multi-tasking situations.     

生存发展问题与可持续发展

生存与发展是同一个问题，人的生存方式的特点就在于用发展求生存。近代以来的现代化发展无疑产生了消极后果，但这并不是天人相分观念的恶果。人类中心主义需要反思并赋予更合理的内涵，但否定人类中心主义是不可能的。实现可持续发展需要反思人类既有的实践与生产方式，建立生产与需要之间合理的辩证关系，提高生活质量与生活品位，实现人与自然的和谐发展。